Comparative Embryology: The Vertebrate Body

All vertebrate embryos follow a common developmental path due to their common ancestry. All have a set of very similar genes (the homeobox genes) that define their basic body plan. As they grow, the differences that will distinguish the embryos as adults become more and more apparent. The study of this development can yield insights into the process of evolution.

Credits:The Human Evolution Coloring Book, Second Edition, by Adrienne Zihlman, produced by Coloring Concepts Inc. and published by HarperCollins, New York